Basketball training device



March 13, 1956 R. G. DELL BASKETBALL TRAINING DEV I C E Filed Feb. 25, 1953 IN V EN TOR.

W QEMZ United States Patent BASKETBALL TRAINING DEVICE Robert G. Dell, Weirsdale, Fla. Application February 25, 1953, Serial No. 338,748

1 Claim. (Cl. 2731.5)

The present invention relates to a basketball training device and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally there is provided a training device for training basketball players in the proper .art of blocking. One

of the most pressing problems of basketball today is the increasing amount of fouling in the game. The most costly type of foul is that in which the shooter is fouled because the penalty for this is two free throws. An analysis of fouls involving a defensive player and an opponent who is shooting shows that these fouls are due to two causes. First, the defensive player may throw his body into the shooter, second, he may bring his arm down across the arm or arms of the shooter. Often the two actions may occur simultaneously. A proper defensive movement in blocking should be upward with the flight of the ball and the guard should tap or slap upwardly on the ball but should not hack or cut down upon it. This upward movement is most effective in blocking shots and tends to produce less contact.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a device the use of which will teach those using it the proper method of blocking without fouling.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel disc and mounting therefor, both forming parts of the invention.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which: 7

Figure l is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention, and

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of a disc forming a part of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown therein a device of the character set forth comprising a vertically extending rod 10 which is positioned in vertically spaced relation to a wall 11 by means of an upper bracket 12 and a lower bracket 13 which are aflrxed to a base 14 attached to the wall 11.

A vertically slidable bracket is is provided with a vertical collar 16 at its rear end which collar is slidably mounted upon the rod 10 and provided with a set screw 17 for locking the same in selected position upon the rod 10. A tube 18 is affixed to the outer end of the bracket 15 and extends at an angle of forty-five degrees with respect to the horizontal. A shaft 19 is slidably mounted in the tube 18 and is provided at its upper end with a collar 20 and at its lower end with a disc 21. Afiixed to the shaft 19 immediately upwardly of the disc 21 is a collar 22. The disc 21 is, in effect, a segment of a sphere of the same contour as a conventional basketball.

In operation, it will be apparent that the bracket 15 may be adjusted upon the rod 10 by means of the set screw 17 in accordance with the jumping ability of the player utilizing the device. When the proper height has been selected and the set screw 17 tightened, the player will then attempt to jump and contact the lower face of the disc 21 with his middle three fingers thus forcing the shaft to move upwardly in the tube 18 at an angle of forty-five degrees with respect to the horizon. Since the player will be immediately below the disc 21, he is forced to jump in a vertical direction with his arm extending vertically which is the ideal means for avoiding a fouling condition.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a device for training basketball players, a Wall, a base attached to the wall, an upper bracket and a lower bracket afiixed to the base, a vertically disposed rod supported by the brackets in spaced relation from the Wall, an adjustable bracket having a horizontal portion and a collar slidably mounted on the rod, means for holding the collar in adjusted positions on the rod, a tube fixed to the outer end of the horizontal portion and inclined to the horizontal, a shaft slidably mounted for limited movement in the tube, and a convex disc affixed to the lower end of the shaft and having a contour simulating a segment of a basketball.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Gardenhour June 26, 1951 

